Alarm clock for radios



Sept. 14, 1954 J. L. SPRAGUE ALARM CLOCK FOR RADIOS Filed April 5. 1950 TO SECOND ALARM John Lane Sprague uvmvroa Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALARM CLOCK FOR; RADIOS John Lane Sprague, Minneapolis, Minn. Application April 5, 1950, Serial No. 154,080

3 Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in alarm controls, and more particularly pertains to an alarm control for selectively actuating different types of alarms.

Various important objects of this invention are to provide an alarm control unit for a first and second alarm, of different types, which will selectively electrically connect the first alarm to the time controlled switch, yet which will permit the second alarm to be operated in its customary manner; which will selectively disconnect the first alarm from the time controlled unit, while permitting the second alarm to be operated in its customary manner; and which will connect the second alarm to the time controlled unit While electrically disconnecting the first alarm therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an alarm controlled switch which is of, simple construction and which readily lends itself to inexpensive manufacture, yet which is durable and highly efficient for the purposes intended.

An important feature of this invention resides inthe provision of an electrically insulated actuator rod having transversely extending control arms attached thereto, first and second electrical contact brackets which rotatably receive the actuator rod, and electrically contact said contact arms, which brackets support said actuator rod.

Another important feature of this invention resides in the provision of a control switch in accordance with the foregoing feature, which actuator rod has anenlarged portion intermediate its ends, and a splined portion adjacent both sides of said enlarged portion, the contact arms having complementary splined bores therein, the electrical contact brackets operatively' engaging the contact arms to'urge the lat ter into seating engagement on the splined' portion of said rod.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustratedby way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective elevational view of an alarm clock of the type with which the improved alarm control unit may be conveniently utilized;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the control switch;

Figure 3 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially on the plane 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical 2 sectional view taken substantially on the plane 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a schematic wiring diagram in which the applicants alarm control unit may be conveniently utilized.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, there is shown an alarm clock indicated generally by the numeral- H), which alarm clock may be of the conventional electrical or mechanical type and which may be readily modified by the addition thereto of the control switch l2.

The alarm [0-, as is conventional, includes within the casing M a conventional time controlled switch l6 and an alarm or bell l8. As it is, at times, desirable to have the time controlled switch actuate a different type of alarm, such as a radio or light or the like, the applicant has provided a control switch I2 which, as will be more readily apparent as the following description proceeds, is so designed that either the bell I8- may be controlled by the time switch I6, the radio or light being actuable by its switch 20, independently of the time switch [6, or, the radio or light can be time controlled by the switch l6, and the bell l8 electrically disconnected.

The control switch l2 may conveniently consist splined, adjacent the enlarged portion 2 5 of the rod 22, as shown at 30 in Figure 3 of the drawings, and the upper and lower actuator arms 26 and 28 provided with complementary internally splined bores which receive the splined. portions of the actuator rod 22'.

An electrically insulating support member 32 is secured to the casing M of the clock 10 in any desired manner, as by the bracket 34. A first set of upper and lower contacts 36 and 38 respectively are attached transversely to the electrically insulated support member 32, a second set of upper and lower contacts 40- and 42 being positioned adjacent to, and respectively parallel to the upper and lower contacts 36 and 38, and a third set of upper and lower contacts 44 and 46 being positioned adjacent to the second set of contacts, and coplanar with the corresponding upper and lower contacts of the first and second sets. Each of the contacts is provided with the conventional washer 48 and nut 50 by which a conductor may be secured thereto. A first electrically conducting bracket 52 is secured, as by the fastener 54 to the electrically insulating member 32, the nut 56 on the fastener 54 further serving as a means by which a conductor may be electrically connected to the bracket 52. The actuator rod 22 is rotatably attached to the first conductor bracket 52 as by the bolt 58. A second conductor bracket 60 is secured to the casing I4 as by the bracket 62 and electrically insulated therefrom as by the washer and non-conducting fastener 64. This bracket 68, similarly, is provided with a fastener and nut 66 which will also detachably secure a conductor thereto. A suitable contact member, such as a sleeve or the like 68 is attached to the contact arm 28, and electrically contacts the first contact bracket 52.

As is apparent from a consideration of Figure 2 of the applicants drawings, the upper and lower electrical contact brackets 68 and 52 respectively, operatively engage the contact arms 26 and 28 so as to urge the latter into seating engagement on the splined portion 30 of the actuator rod 22. For this purpose, it is intended that the brackets 52 and 68 be formed of a resilient material. Further, it is apparent, that the upper bracket 68 which rotatably receives the actuator rod 22, and the lower bracket 52 which rotatably supports the actuator rod serve the multiple function of supporting the actuator rod, providing contact terminals for the contact arms 26 and 28, and further urge the contact arms into seating engagement on the splined portion 38 of the actuator rod 22.

Referring now to the schematic diagram shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the electric clock I is connected as by conductors 68 and III, and the conductors 12 and 14 to a suitable source of power. The bell I8 is connected, as by conductors I6 and I8, time controlled switch I6, and conductor 88 to the contact bracket 60. The contact point 36 is connected as by conductor 82 to the bell I8. The radio or light is connected as by conductor 86,

and the conductors 84 and 88 which are connected to the control switch I2, to a suitable source of power. As is apparent, the conductor 84 is secured to the first contact bracket 52, and the conductor 88 is electrically connected, as by a bar 92 or the like to the contact terminals 38 and 42, and otherwise terminally connected to the outlet 90.

The operation of the device, as is more readily apparent from a consideration of Figure of the applicant's drawings, is as follows: When the contact arms 26 and 28 are respectively in engagement with the contact terminals 36 and 38, it will be seen that the bell I8 is controlled by the time switch I6, and the radio or light is controlled by its own switch '28 so that the alarm may be set prior to retiring, and the radio or light left on, to be shut off before going to sleep. When the contact arms 26 and 28 are in electrical contact with the terminals 48 and 42, the bell I8 is electrically disconnected from the time controlled switch I6 and the radio or light, as before, actuable by its own switch 20. For this purpose, it is apparent that the contact point 46 may either be of an insulating material, or be a dimming contact it serving merely to retain the contact arm 26 in its angularly prepositioned location. Thus, during the day, or prior to the setting of the alarm, the radio or light may be used at will.

When the contact arms 26 and are respectively in engagement with the contact terminals 44 and 46, it is apparent that the radio or light is electrically controlled by the time switch I6, and the bell I8 electrically disconnected therefrom. Thus, the radio or light may serve as the alarm, in lieu of the bell I8.

It is believed apparent that it is within the spirit of this invention, as an alternative construction, to electrically connect the conductor 84 to the second contact bracket 68 instead of to the conductor I8. Further, there may be provided in the conductor 82 a suitably time responsive switch which, for reasons which will later become apparent as the following discussion proceeds will electrically disconnect the bell I8 after a predetermined time interval after the bell has begun to ring. In this modification, when the contact arms 26 and 28 are electrically contacting the terminals 36 and 38 respectively, the bell I8 will be electrically connected by means of the time controlled switch I6, and a thermally responsive switch, not shown, to a source of power and the radio or light also electrically connected to the source of power, by means of the time switch I6. Thus, there is provided a device which when set in the aforementioned position will ring the bell at a predetermined time and simultaneously turn on the radio, the bell being disconnected by the suitable time responsive switch, after a predetermined time interval. For this purpose, it is intended that the time interval after which the bell is turned off be sufficient to permit the radio to heat up and begin to play. In this manner the bell I8 will serve to wake the sleeper, and then turn off as the radio becomes tuned-in, thereby furnishing the awakened sleeper with his favorite musical or news program.

When the contact arms 26 and 28 are in their middle position, engaging the terminals 48 and 42, the bell, as in the preceding instance, is disconnected from the circuit and the radio or light alone is time controlled by the switch I6. When the contact arms 26 and 28 are in engagement with the contact points 44 and 46 it is intended that the radio or light be selectively actuable by its own switch 20, and for this purpose there may be provided a conductor which electrically connects the contact point 46 to the conductor 10.

From the foregoing it is thought that the operation and construction of the device will be readily understood, and further discussion is therefore believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerousmodifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to that shown and described, but all suitable modifications may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An alarm control comprising a first alarm, a second alarm, an electrical circuit, a time controlled switch in said circuit, a selector switch connected in series with said time controlled switch, said selector switch determining the operative connection of said first and second alarm in said circuit, a second selector switch, said second selector switch being mechanically driven in unison with said first mentioned selector switch, said second selector switch connecting said second alarm in said circuit independent of said time controlled switch when the first mentioned selector switch is operative to connect said first alarm in operative relation to said time controlled switch.

2. An alarm control comprising a first alarm, a second alarm, an electrical circuit, a time controlled switch in said circuit, a selector switch connected in series with said time controlled switch, said selector switch determining the operative connection of said first and second alarm in said circuit, a second selector switch, said second selector switch being mechanically driven in unison with said first mentioned selector switch, said second selector switch connecting said second alarm in said circuit independent of said time controlled switch when the first mentioned selector switch is operative to connect said first alarm in operative relation to said time controlled switch, a timer switch connected in series between said first mentioned selector switch and said first alarm.

3. An alarm control comprising a first and second alarm device, an electric supply circuit, a time controlled switch in said supply circuit, a selector switch connected in series with said time controlled switch, said selector switch including an actuating rod of insulating material, a pair of spaced apart radially projecting contact arms non-rotatably mounted on said rod, a first supporting bracket of electrically conducting material, said rod being rotatably mounted on said first bracket, means including said first bracket electrically connectin one of said contact arms to said supply circuit, a second resilient rod supportin contact bracket of electrically conducting material, said second bracket rotatably receiving said rod and engaging the second of said contact arms to yieldingly urge said rod into engagement with said first bracket, said second bracket being connected to said time controlled switch, a first pair of fixed electrical contacts positioned for engagement by said contact arms, one of said contacts being connected to said first alarm and positioned to be engaged by the arm connected to said time controlled switch, the other contact bein connected to said second alarm whereby when said arms engage said first pair of fixed contacts the time controlled switch is operative to energize said first alarm and said second alarm is energized from said supply circuit independent of said time controlled switch, a second pair of fixed contacts engageable by said arms, one of said second pair of contacts being electrically isolated and the other being connected to said second alarm, whereby when said arms engage said second pair of contacts the first alarm is disconnected and said second alarm is energized from said supply circuit independent of said time controlled switch, a third pair of fixed contacts engageable by said arms, the one of said third pair of contacts engageable by the arm connected to the time controlled switch bein connected to said second alarm and the other of said third pair of fixed contacts being electrically isolated whereby when said arms engage said third pair of contacts said first alarm is inoperative and said second alarm is controlled by said time controlled switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,648,410 Lawton Nov. 8, 19 7 1,913,599 Crago June 13, 1933 1,955,558 Nelson et a1 Apr. 17, 1934 2,242,056 Crenshaw May 13, 1941 2,303,693 Hill Dec. 1, 1942 2,309,065 Hall Jan. 19, 1943 2,385,629 Lawson Sept. 25, 1945 2,460,495 Elrick Feb. 1, 1949 2,485,195 Gallagher et a1 Oct. 18, 1949 2,488,754 Willson Nov. 22, 1949 

